Deposition of Henry Gilbert

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Lieutennant Henry Gilbert Late of Knockmay in the Queens County Esquire ag ed about 28 yere s sworne and examined sayth That on or about the xxiijth daie of January 1641 When the Rebellion first <A> brake out in the County aforesaid The grand Rebell fflorence ffitzpatrick of Castletowne in the same County E squire a great Comander of Rebellson did with abovt 300 of his rebellious souldjers or a bove Rebelliously with force and armes Martch and Congregate themselues to & before this deponents [ ] said howse of Knockmay aforesaid (the deponent being then absent) And then and there the same howse being guarded & kept by tenn men of the deponents or thereabouts whereof 4 were irish men) & the rest English The said fflorence ffizpatrick & his rebellious crew then and there forceibly seised on the owthowses there & shott a Mayde servant that lookd out at a window, dead & then alsoe in peremptorie manner demanding possession of the dwelling howse it was del denied to bee deliuered vnto them: Wherevpon those Rebells laying seige therevnto And the deponents English servants being perswaded by the other 4 Irish servants to take quarter and soe deliuer the C said howse as was required from them Those servants therevpon asked what quarter they shold have wherevpon the said fflorence ffitzpatrick then and there swore and protested that if they wold yeild vp the said howse they should have faire Quarter and that not one dropp of any of their blouds should be drawne, but that they should saffely and quietly be suffered with their wives & children to goe away with their clothes to the fort Wherevpon those servants and their wives & children beleeveing that offer surrendred and gaue vpp the possession of the said howse to the said fflorence ffitzpatrick & his souldjers: whoe gave such Quarter as he promissed to those fowre Irish servants: But as for the other six English servants five of those the said fflorence and his souldjers most perfidiously & cruelly hanged all to death & stripped their wives & children of their clothes & sent them all away stark naked: And then & there those Rebells by force and Armes deprived robbed and dispojled him
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<300 li. 160 li.> this deponent of his howshold goodes Corne Cattle debts & other goods of the value of three hundred powndes att the Least, And besides have euer since expelled him from his said howse & liveing there worth fowrscore powndes per annum: which for 2 yeres now thereof incurred amounteth to Clx li. ster And this deponent And this deponent further saith That the said fflorence ffitzpatrick <A> & one Cosny ô Doran of Rafeilan in the same County gentleman Dermott McDonnell ffitzpatrick of Cuddagh in the same County gent Brian McShane ffitzpatrick of Camrosse in the same County gent Donnogh Mcffynin ffitzpatrick of Maning in the same County gent. McBrian ffitzpatrick eldest sonn to Donnell McBrian McD onnell ffitzpatrick of Gurtuacleah in the same County gentleman Andrew ffitzpatrick of Castlef f leming in the same County gent & a great number of other Rebells Did by force and armes about the tyme aforesaid alsoe rob depryve & dispojle this deponent of the possession Rents and proffits of his other Landes Cattle Corne sheepe horses howshold goods & other goodes & chattells at the Cloonin Carrigin & Knockinatie & other places in the same County to this deponents losse and damage of fowre <400 li.> hundred poundes more at the Least, And this deponent is like to bee deprived of and Loose the future proffitts of his Lands <70 li. per annum> Last named (worth Lxx li. per annum) vntill a peace be established which the Rebells aforesaid haue euer since forceibly held & enioyed & still with doe hould and enioy the same: And further saith that the Rebells aforesaid together with one James Mc ffergus ô Donnell of Tinnykill in the said County gent about the same <B> tyme forceibly deprived robbed & dispoyled Sir William Gilbert knight this deponents father of the possession Rents & proffitts of his part of Clonyn and of Clontaglasse, Church towne Glandowne Gurtinamalogh Clonadd Clonboyne Clonkenie <400 li.> & Ballinabuddogh and of divers other Lands within the same County <400 li. per annum> worth for the 2 yeres now past eight hundred pownds and < 500 li.> have euer since had & held the noe all the same vntill the Cessation began, & euer since they either hold or haue wasted the same, And they alsoe deprived and robbed his said father of a stock of a Corne Cattle sheepe studd of horses & Mares debts and other goodes worth five hundred pownds more: And the since the Cessation of
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<A> armes began the greate Rebell the Erle of Castlehaven and his rebelious souldjers to the number of 1500 foote & about 200 horse or thereabouts forcibly martched to this deponents said fathers howse called kilminshaw in the same County & then and there Layd seige therevnto & discharged against it nyne great shott from their ordinance they thither brought & then surprised & forceibly tooke that howse And then and there robbed his said father of howshold goods Corne Cattle <400 li.> horses & Mares Armes & other goods worth at least CCCC li. more and burned a part of the howseing there and much battered & defaced the rest to the said Sir William Gilberts l oss e great Losse, And then and there the said Erle of Castlehaven and his souldjers surprised and tooke prisoners this deponents mother the Lady Gilbert, five of his sisters and one of his brothers, & other gentlemen that were in the howse and about xxty of the warders there: And saith further that although those Rebells have since inlarged those prisoners & restored the possession of the said howse of Kilminshawe yet they have made noe restitucion of the goodes but still forceibly & by strong hand deteine them notwithstanding the Cessation of Armes and proclamacion thereof made And further saith that the Rebells aforesaid did about Christmas 1641 robb & dispojle all the English protestants in the said County & turned at Least five hundred men women and children which were tennants to the said Sir William Gilbert and to this deponent all a begging Most of whom th the said Sir William & he this deponent neuertheless at their owne charges have preserved alive: And the said Rebells have Comitted seuerall murthers & cruelties in the Queens County aforesaid & in divers other Counties of this kingdome since the Rebellion aforesaid men began The which becawse this deponent sawe not with his eyes hee forbeareth to particularize
Hen: Gilbert
Jur primo Jan febr 1643
Hen: Jones
Hen: Brereton
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Q. County
Lieutenant Henry Gilbert
Jur 1o Januar 1643
Intrc hand
Intw A
N Ex